Improved car-coupling



I. L. .VANSANT.

V 'Car Coupling. I

No.- 88,424. Patented March 30, 1869.

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ISAAC L. VANSANT, OF GLASG'OW, DELAWARE.

7 Letters Patent No. 88,42fi, dated March 30, 1869. i l

IMPROVED CAR-CQUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC L. VANSANT, of Glasgow, in the county of New Castle, and State of Delaware,

have invented a new and improved Gar-Coupling; and

I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 2 is a front view. K

Figure 3 is a side view. v

The object of this invention is to provide, for public use, a simple, cheap, and effective automatic carcoupling, constructed so as to avoid the use of springs A of any kind, and operating in the manner hereinafter ing in the angle m of the plate B, in the manner clearly shown by the drawing.

The draw-head is provided with'the usual longitudinal opening, 0, expanded at its mouth, and extending in a horizontal direction from the front end to a point, as, not far from the line of the trunnions.

From this point to the rear-end of the draw-head, however, the cavity O slight-ly declines, finally termi- 'nating in the rear opening, (1.

-E is the coupling-link, through the central opening I in which extends a fixed bolt, E, which confines the link permanently to the draw-head.

1 is a short, stout block, articulated to the upper edge of the opening 0', so as naturally to hang in the position shown in dark lines, in fig. 1, but to be capable of folding up against the top plate of the draw-head, as shown in red lines'in the same figure.

When hanging vertically, its back is in contact with a flange, 0, cast upon the rear end of the draw-head, for the purpose of limiting the movement of the block.

The hanging block, thus constructed and attached, is designed to operate as a stop to hold the link in position, and insure coupling. 7

When, however, the link of this draw-head is not to be used in coupling, the block F is, byhand, turned up under the roof of the chamberin which it operates, and the link D is drawn back to the position shown by the red lines, its rear end projecting from the .opening 0.

Each draw-head on every car is to be provided with the permanently-attached link D. Of course, only one link will be used at any time, and when one is in use,

it will be held as shown by the dark lines of fig. 1, while the link of the opposite draw-head'will be placed in the position shown by the red lines of the same figlll'e.

The coupling-pin is shown at G, it being agravitating lever, pivoted upon a horizontal bolt, or trunnions, at g, and, at its lower end, provided with a weight, g, which keeps it in proper position.

The upper arm of the lever projects up across the interior chamber of the draw-head.

The lever is hung in a slot, h, cut through the bottom of said chamber, so that it can swing freely on its fulcrum.

-In connection with this lever is an eccentric, I, pivoted to the upper part of the draw-head, at i, and provided with an arm, I, which may be weighted at its outer end, and by which it can be conveniently rocked on its pivot.

When the arm I is in a horizontal position, that part of the eccentric disk farthest from the pivot, projects down through a slot into the central chamber, 0, just in front of the lever G, and interrupts the action of the latter, preventing its upper arm from passing the'disk.

In coupling, the link of the opposite draw-head. strikes. the upper arm of lever G, throws it back, andpasses into the chamber, toward the bolt E and link D'. Meanwhile, it having passed the end of the lever,

'the latter, by its own gravity, resumes a vertical position, after which it is impossible for the link to be withdrawn, until the eccentric is removed by lifting thearm I. That having been done, the lever swings in the opposite, direction as readily, to give egress to the link, as it haddone to give it ingress.

The whole device is very simple, and convenient of operation, being adapted to allow of the instantaneous uncoupling of the cars, on any kind of grade, and when in rapid motion, a fact which gives it peculiar advantages in switching ofi cars on to a siding, enabling such operation to be easily performed, without stopping the train.

It has no springs to be constantly getting out of order.

All the parts can be made of sufficient size to be' What I claim as new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is].-

1. The gravitating coupling-pin G, pivoted to the 3. The combination of the vertically-rocking drawdraw-head at g, in Combination with the lever I, arhead with the supporting-plate B, and a stop for limranged across the draw-head, and having an eoceniting the motion of the draw-head, substantially as tric head, or disk, which projects down into-the cavity described, and for the purpose set forth.

thereof, substantially as shown and described, and for ISAAC VANSANT' the purposes specified.

2. The pivoted block F, when constructed andap- Wltnesses: plied to the draw-head in the manner described, and CHAS. A. PETTIT, adapted to operate in connection with the stop 0 and S. O. KEMON.

the link D, as and for the purpose set forth. 

